South Bay Digest

El Segundo : Cable TV Purchase Studied

The City Council this week voted to look into the possibility of buying the local Group W Cable operation, saying the move could increase the city's cable revenues by as much as 500%.

The city receives 7% of Group W's El Segundo cable revenues, or about $50,000 a year. The figure could top $300,000 if the city used its own employees to maintain the cable system, said Mayor Jack Siadek.

The council voted to hire a consultant to appraise Group W's local cable system. Group W has announced plans to sell its South Bay franchises. If Group W Cable, a subsidiary of Westinghouse based in Santa Monica, accepts a city offer, El Segundo will be the second city in California to own and operate its own cable company. The first was San Bruno in Northern California.